Hair curler



May 15, 1951 R. BACON l 2,552,509

HAIR CURLER Filed Feb. 15, 1949 RBEQT BACON Patented May 15, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HAIR. CURLER Robert Bacon, Brooklyn, N. Y.

Application February 15, 1949', Serial No'. 76,513

4 Claims.

This invention relates to a hair curler, and more particularly to a hair-curling device for supporting curled strands of hair close on the scalp during the curling operation.

It is an object of this invention to provide a hair-curling implement of the kind to be more particularly described hereinafter, which is formed substantially in the manner of a pair of comb sections having interengaging teeth for securing a curl therebetween during the drying or curling steps of the curlingprocedure.

Another object of this inventionl is to provide a` curling device of. this kind which` isl formed in a novel manner to provide for the formation of the curl thereon in one position, and to engagev on the upper and lower sides of the curly in the extended position for securing the curl while drying or forming.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a hair curler formed of. a pair of interengaging comb members pivoted. together in such a manner that the curl to be4 set will be substantially clamped between the interengaging teeth of the comb and the relation of the comb segments or sections is such` that the curler, when.

spring pressed to extended position on the person whose hair is being curled, willr not scratch or otherwise injure the person upon the sliding movement of the ends of the teeth in engagement;

with the scalp.

A further object of this invention is to pro- Vide a curler or clamp for holding a curl of hairin a set position, so constructed andv arranged whereby the curl may be initially formed by coilsconstructed accordingtoA an embodiment of thisV invention, one of the curlers being shown in the extended position, and the other curler beingv shown in the retracted or curl-forming position; Figure 2 is a bottom plan view of a curler, showing a lock of hair securedbetween the comb elements;

Figure 3 is a longitudinalv section, taken. onv the 1ine33 of Figure 2, showing the curler in the partially-retracted position in dottect lines;

Figure 4 is a longitudinal section of the curler showing the relation of the elements thereof in the retracted position;

Figure 5 is a transverse section, taken on the line 5"--5 of Figure 3;

Figure Gris atop plan View of a modified form of curling device;

Figure 7' is a fragmentary longitudinal section,

taken on the l-ine l--l of Figurev 6;

Figure 8 is a side elevation of a second modied form of this invention;

Figure 9- is a transverse section taken on the line 9--9 of Figure 8.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral I0 designates generally a hair-curling device constructed according to an embodiment of my invention to provide for the forming of a curl thereon and for securingand setting the curl in a selected position en the head of the person whose hair is beingcurled. The curler I0 is particularly designed for the ready manipulation by an operator, the function and operation of thecurling device II) being such that it may substantially be operated by one hand of a skilled operator.

The curler lll` is formed of a pair ofhandle elements III and I2 whichv are connected together for movement relative to each other. Each of the handle elements II and I2 consists of a bar I6 having an end portion Il of arcuate conguration. The end portion Il of the handle element III' has a jaw or comb element I4 secured thereto whileI the end portion I'I of the handle element I2 has a like jaw or comb element I5 attached thereto. Asl shown in Figures 2 and 3, the bars I 6i are arranged in inverse end to end relation,

with the jaw or comb element I4 of the bar I6 of the handle element II extending over at least a portion of the bar I6 of the handle element I2 and coacting with the latter bar I6, and the jaw or comb element l5 of the bar I6 of the handle element I2 extending over at least a portion of the bar I6 of the handle element II and coacting with the bar IG of the latter named element. Means are provided connecting the bars IS for movement relative to each other to a position in which the jaws I4 and I5 of the respective bars I@ are in an adjacent and confronting relationship and therebyl form a mandrel for the winding of hair to be curled therearound, and for returnv movement from said position to the posilf2; extendsV over at least a portion of the bar I of the handle element I I and thereby grippingly hold the curled hair therebetween to set the curl. Such means embodies a resilient element or section I9 which extends over adjacent ends of the bars IB of the respective handle elements I I and I2 and is seated in complemental recesses I8 formed in said adjacent ends of the bars. The resilient element of section I9 is preferably formed of rubber or other stretchable material and provides a pvot member for hingedly connecting the bars IE for rocking movement relative to each other. The strip of rubber forming the resilient element of section I9 may be secured within the recesses I8 by glue or other fastening means.

The comb element I4, which is carried by the handle section or member II, is formed with a back section 20 having forwardly-extending teeth 2I secured thereto, or preferably formed therewith. The back section 20 is adapted to underlie the arcuate end portion I1 of the handle section Il to provide for the downward offset positioning of the teeth 2|. The back section 29 is secured to the arcuate end portion I1 adjacent the resilient element I9, and the ngers or comb elements 2i are adapted to be extended forwardly beyond the resilient element I9 for overlying the adjacent arcuate end of the adjacent handle section I2. The handle section I2 is provided with a correlated comb section or element I5, having a back 22 and forwardly-extending teeth 24 carried thereby. The teeth 24 of the comb element I5 are adapted to extend between the teeth 2l of the comb element I4 and overlie the confronting adjacent section of the correlated handle element II. The comb tooth or teeth 24 of the comb section I5 are downwardly offset from the handle element I2 in the same manner as the teeth 2l are downwardly offset from the handle section II, described above. The back sections 29 and 22 of the comb elements I4 and I5, respectively, are adapted to be secured to the lower side of the handle sections II and I2 by cement or other suitable fastening means, and the teeth of the respective comb sections are adapted to be downwardly offset relative to the end portions I1 of the handle sections in the extended position of the curler. The downwardly-offset disposition of the teeth provides for the positioning of a lock of hair, after being curled, between the teeth and the adjacent portions of the bar I6 of the handle sections II and I2.

In the use and operation of the hair curler I0, the handle sections II and I2 are moved relative to each other in a position in which the jaws or comb elements I4 and I5 of the respective bars I6 are in an adjacent and confronting relationship, as clearly shown in Figures 1 and 4 of the drawings, with the ngers 2I and 24 extending downwardly from the resilient element I9, the jaws I4 and l5 and the ngers or teeth 2| and 24 forming a mandrel for the winding of hair to be curled therearound. The lower ends of the fmgers 2I and 24 are spaced apart a slight distance, and the fingers of each of the comb sections are disposed for being positioned between the fingers of the confronting comb section. In the disposition of the curler I0 in the folded position, the resilient element I9 is adapted to be stretched between the abutting ends of the end portions i1. For initially forming the curl, the curl or lock of hair is initially engaged about the upper ends of the handle sections, or the bars I6. The curler I9 is then rotated in the lingers of the operator for forming the curl thereabout. The lock of hair may be coiled about the handle sections of the curler IU until the handle sections are substantially in engagement with the scalp of the customer. At this time the curl may be moved downwardly by sliding from the upper handle sections to a position about the lower ends of the fingers or teeth 2I and 24. From this position, the operator may remove his fingers from the handle sections or other portions of the curling device I0 and the resiliency of the resilient element I9 will press the handle sections II and I2 divergingly apart to their longitudinallyaligned, extended position. Upon movement of the handle sections to their extended position, the teeth 2l and 24 will be disposed in interengaging relation to each other, so that the extreme ends of the teeth will overlie the back section of the other comb member. Upon movement of the curler IIJ to its extended position, the teeth 2| and 24 will engage below the lowermost hairs of the curl for clamping the curl between the adjacent comb sections and between the comb sections and the outer surface of the handle arms I9.

In Figures 6 and '1, there is shown a modified form of this invention, in which the modication consists primarily of the hinged connection between the adjacent curler sections 3| and 32. The curler handle members 3l and 32 of the modified curler 30 are formed in substantially the same manner as the handle sections II and I2 of the form of the invention described above.

. Each of the handle sections 3I and 32 comprises an outwardly-extending, substantially horizontal .arm 34 and 35 on the outer end thereof and an inner bowed section 36 and 31. One of the handle sections, as the section 3l, is formed with for- Wardly-extending ears 38 on the opposite sides thereof which extend forwardly from the inner end of the inner handle section 35. The ears 38 are disposed along the side edges of the handle section 3I and are formed with transverse apertures therein whereby the ears 3S constitute hinge barrels for a hinge 40 which connects the handle sections 3I and 32 together. The confronting handle section 32 is formed with forwardly-ex tending ears 39 on the inner end of the arcuate portion 31, which are adapted to be disposed Within the inner sides of the outer ears 38 of the confronting handle section 3I. The ears 39 are formed with transverse openings therethrough Afor alignment with the openings of the ears 38 and a hingepin or pintle 4I is extended through the apertures of the ears 38 and 39.

A coiled spring 42 is coiled about the pintle 4I between the ears 39 of the handle section 32 and one end 44 of the spring 42 is adapted to be disposed on the upper surface of one of the handle sections, as the section 32. The other end 45 of the spring 4U is adapted to overlie the upper surface of the other handle section 3I. f The positioning of the spring 4I on the pintle 4I and its engagement with the handle sections 3l and 32 is such that the handle sections are continuously biased or spring pressed to their longitudinallyaligned, extended position.

Confronting, interengaging comb elements 46 and 41 are carried by the adjacent handle sections 3I and 32, respectively. The comb sections or segments 46 and 41 are formed substantially in the same manner as the comb sections I4 and I5, described above, having interengaging comb teeth or fingers 48 and 49 which are adapted to be p uw A disposed in the same relation as the iingers 2l and 24, described above.

In Figures 8 and 9, there is shown a second modied form of this invention, wherein that portion of the curler which was set out as two sections in the forms of the invention described above, is constituted as a single element. The hair curler 56 is formed of an elongated resilient element or body of leather, rubber or other suitable material which is bowed along the length thereof. A pair of longitudinally-extending wires 52 are extended along the length of the bendable body 5l to provide for the resiliency of the body by which the body is normally spring pressed or otherwise biased or urged to an extended position. A flexible covering 56! is positioned about the body 5| along the length thereof, the covering 51E being made of fabric, a transparent plastic lm, or other suitable material. A pair of comb elements 55 and 56 are secured to the opposite ends of the body 55. The comb elements 55 and 56 are substantially formed in the same manner as the comb sections or elements described above for the other forms of this invention. The comb elements 55 and 56 each is formed with a back portion 5l and 58, respectively, having confronting, interengaging comb teeth or fingers 59 and 66. The teeth 59 of the comb element 55 are adapted to be extended on opposite sides of the teeth Si? of the comb element 58 in such a manner that the teeth 59 and `6i] substantially intersect each other at the mid-point of the comb body 5l. The teeth 59 and 55 are disposed downwardly from the body of the curler 59 at their intersecting point in the extended position thereof.

The comb back sections 5l and 58 are secured to the body 5| by thread or cord wound about the body and the back sections. The cord or thread 6l will secure the comb segments to the body portion of the curler 50, although other fastening means may be used.

The use and operation of the curler 55 is the same as the use and operation of the curlers lll and 3U, described above. In the retractedposition of the curler 50, the body 6| is bent along the length thereof substantially pivoting at the mid-point for disposing the comb sections 55 and 56 in overlying relation one to the other, being spaced apart by the folded body 5l therebetween. The lower ends of the teeth 59 and 6i] will be spaced apart in the same manner as the teeth 2l and 24 described and shown for the form of the invention designated by the numeral lll, and specically shown in Figure 4 of the drawings.

I do not meanLto conne myself to the exact details of construction herein disclosed, but claim all Variations falling within the purview of the appended claims.

I claim:

l. A hair curler comprising a pair of bars each having a jaw at one end thereof, said bars being arranged in inverse end to end relation with the jaw of each bar extending' over at least a portion of the other bar and coacting with the latter, and means connecting said bars for movement relative to each other to a position in which the jaws of the respective bars are in adjacent and confronting relationship and thereby form a mandrel for the winding of hair to be curled therearound, and for return movement from said position to the position in which the jaw of each bar extends over at least a portion of the other bar and thereby grippingly holds the curled hair therebetween to set the curl.

2. A hair curler comprising a pair of bars each having a jaw at one end, said bars being arranged in inverse end to end relation with the jaw of each bar extending over at least a portion of the other bar and coacting with the lat ter, and means rigidly connecting said bars for rocking movement relative to each other to a position in which the jaws of the respective bars are in an adjacent and confronting relationship and thereby form a mandrel for the winding of hair to be curled therearound, and for return movement from said position to the position in which the jaw of each bar extends over at least a portion of the other bar and thereby grippingly holds the curled hair therebetween to set the curl.

3. A hair curler comprising a pair of bars each having a jaw at one end thereof, said bars being arranged in inverse end to end relation with the jaw cf each bar extending over at least a portion of the other bar and coacting with the latter, and means embodying a resilient element hingedly connecting said bars for rocking movew ment relative to each other to a position in which the jaws of the respective bars are in an adjacent and confronting relationship and thereby form a mandrel for the winding of hair to be curled therearound, and for return movement from said position to the position in which the jaw of each bar extends over at least a portion of the other bar and thereby grippingly holds the curled hair therebetween to set the curl.

4. A hair curler comprising a pair oi bars each having a jaw at one end thereof, said bars being arranged in inverse end to end relation with the jaw of each bar extending over at least a portion of the other bar and coacting with the latter, and means hingedly connecting said bars for rocking movement relative to each other to a position in which the jaws of the respective bars are in an adjacent and confronting relationship and thereby form a mandrel for the winding of hair to be curled therearound, and for return movement from said position to the position in which the jaw of each bar extends over at least a portion of the other bar and thereby grippingly holds the curled hair therebetween to set the curl, said means embodying a pin extending transversely through the adjacent ends of said bars and a return spring circumposed about said pin and operatively connected to said bars.

ROBERT BACON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,357,516 Ralph Nov. 2, 1920 2,041,413 Indahl May 19, 1936 2,302,480 Tara Nov. 17, 1942 2,420,107 Stallins May 6, 1947 2,444,519 Linder July 6, 1948 

